Rotatable seat



July 31, 1951 A. w. BARTHOLOMEW ROTATABLE SEAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledNov. 20, 1947 INVENTOR. menu/1a w. BART/40L OME w July 31, 19511 A. w.BARTHOLOMEW ROTATABLE SEAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 20, 1947INVENTOR. ART/me M BAIPTHULOMEW m am A m ,&

Patented July 31, 1951 ROTATABLE SEAT Arthur W. Bartholomew, Plymouth,Ohio, as-

slgnor to Art Rattan Works, Inc., Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation ofCalifornia Application November 20, 1947, Serial No. 787,142

This invention relates as indicated to rotatable seats and moreparticularly to seat structures adapted for use in public conveyancessuch as railway coaches, airplanes and busses.

Seats in such public conveyances have long been constructed so as to bereversible in direction, this to permit the passengers to select thedirection in which they wish to face or, in the case of railway coaches,to permit such coaches to travel in either direction with the passengersfacing forward. In an early form of seat still to be found in the oldercoaches, the back of the seat is pivotally attached to either sidethereof so that such back may be shifted at will depending on thedirection which the passenger wishes to face. More recently, however,improved seat structures have been provided of the so-called recliningtype wherein the seat and back may be adjusted to provide a variety ofpositions to suit the comfort of the passenger. Adjustable footrests arealso generally provided and these features make it no longer practicableto reverse the direction in which the passenger is to face merely byshifting the back of the seat. Consequently, various types of rotatableseats have been devised wherein the seat is adapted to be swung aroundbodily 180 to face in the opposite direction. This kind of constructionhas created several new problems in the utilization of the availablespace. -In the first place, it is very desirable'that the seat bepositioned as closely adjacent the side or wall of the car as possiblein order not to encroach upon the aisle between the rows of seats. Inthe second place, it is important that the seat when thus rotated intoreverse position shall occupy the same area as in its former position,since otherwise extra space must be provided between the individualseats of a row to prevent interference therebetween when thus rotated.

One form of rotatable seat which has been put into use is mounted on aslide so that the seat may first be drawn away from the side of the car,rotated into reversed position, and then shoved back against the side ofthe car. This type of arrangement has proven clumsy and timeconsuming inoperation, particularly when it becomes necessary for a train man thusto reverse all of the seats in a car when such car is to be operated inthe opposite direction. Various other types of mounting means have beenproposed in which the seat is guided along cam-ways as it rotates inorder automatically to shift such seat toward the aisle during rotationto prevent interference with the side of the car. In all such forms withwhich I am familiar, the construc- 5 Claims. (01. -96) tion has eitherbeen unduly elaborate andexpenslve or fails to permit the mounting ofthe seat sufficiently close to the side of the car.

It is therefore a primary object of my invention to provide a rotatableseat or the like adapted to be mounted closely adjacent a wall orsimilar barrier and which may be easily turned to face in the oppositedirection.

Another object of my invention is to provide such seat structure whichis of strong but inexpensive construction and capable of smooth,positive operation.

Still another object is to provide such seat structure in which the seatwill occupy the same area over the supporting pedestal irrespective ofthe direction in which it faces.

A further object is to provide a rotatable, reversible seat having nomoving parts other than those which move with such seat itself.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the followingdescription proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said inventionthen comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexeddrawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of theinvention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the variousways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In the said annexed drawings:

Fig. l is an end elevational view of a typical seat structure adapted tobe mounted and operated in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of such seat structure;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of such seat structure;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the seat and support frame assembly withthe seat cushions and back removed therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the support or bottom frame on which suchseat frame is mounted;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the assembly shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the seatframe partly rotated on the support;

' Fig. 8 is a'fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of the seatsupporting means; 7

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line-9+9 on Fig. 4;and

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line l0l 0 on Fig.4.

Referring now more particularly to such draw.- ing and especially Figs.1-3 thereof, the seat there on bracket 13 secured to wall 14 and theother.

end of which is upheld by leg or pedestal l5.

Referring now more especially to Figs. 4-6 inelusive, the seat orpedestal frame generally indicated by numeral 12 in Figs. 1 and 2comprises a rectangular frame of welded metal tubing 16 of squarecross-section rigidly supported on bracket l3 and leg 15. Angle ironreinforcing members I? and 18 also carry identical spring latch means Lfor a-purpose described below. A plate is having upturned edge portions.20 and 2E is welded to opposite sides of rectangular tubular frame itforming a bridge therebetween. A straight rack 22 is fixedly secured tothe upper surface of such plate and a slot 23 is cut in the plateparallel to such rack.

The seat frame proper, which is adapted to be mounted on the supportingframe just described, is also of welded tubular construction comprisingfront and rear members 24 and 25 respectively joined by cross members23, 21', and 25, the rear ends of which are turned up to form thebrackets I mentioned above as carrying the frame which supports the'seatback. Auxiliary cross braces 29, 30, 3! and 32 serve to increaserigidity of the structure. As best shown in Figs. 4, 9, and 10, a fiatplate is welded to the underside of tubular frame members 35, 21', and3! adjacent the point of juncture of the latter and a gear segment 3% issecured to the underside thereof as by means of screws or bolts 35. Adownwardly projecting stud 3B is non-rotatably secured in the center ofsuch gear adapted to enter and fit guide slot 23 in plate H9. Therelative dimensions and locations of rack 22, slot 23, gear segment 34and stud 36 are such that engagement of the stud in the slot serves tomaintain the teeth of the gear segment in mesh with the teeth of rack 22throughout relative rotative movement of the seat frame relative to thesupport frame (see Fig. 7). Stud 36 is provided with a washer 31 held inplace by nut 38, such washer being adapted to engage the undersurface ofplate l9 and thereby positively interconnect the members of theassembly.

Various types of latching means may be employed to hold the seat framein one or the other of the selected rotative positions. The type hereshown (Figs. 4, 5, and 6) comprise detents D carried by seat framemembers 29-and 32 respectively and adapted to engage in correspondingrecesses in the upper ends of spring backed plungers comprising latchmeans L. The lips of such recess are rounded so that such detent andlatch means may be disengaged by an operator exerting sufiicientrotative force on the seat frame. The precise form of latching meansemployed however forms no part of this invention, the same beingconventional in the art.

The operation of the above-described structure and mechanism will now bebriefly explained. With the seat frame in the position relative to thesupportingjframe illustrated in Fig. 4, the latching means is in enagementto hold.- the seat facing in a direction toward the bottom of thesheet. Stud 36 is also in engagement with the end of slot 23 preventingany further rotative movement of the seat frame in a clockwise directionas viewed in such Fig. 4. In order to reverse the seat, the operatormerely grasps the same and exercises a sufiicient rotative force thereonin a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 4 and '7 to disengagesuch latching means and cause gear segment 34 to roll along rack 22. Thelength of slot 23 is such that when stud 35 engages the other, endthereof, the seat frame will have turned through and the seat will nowbe facing in the opposite direction. The latchin means are, of course,automatically re-engaged to-hold the seat in such selected position.

It is obvious that if the center of gear 34, and therefore the center ofstud 36, is located at the extreme edge of the seat frame then the endof such frame (or rather in actual practice arm II which overhangs thesame) may be directly abutting against wall M and the seat willnevertheless rotate without interfering with such wall and will, whenreversed, again occupy exactly the same area over the supporting frameand snugly against the wall. For ease of manufacture, however, it isordinarih referred to mount such gear center in from the edge of theseat frame as defined by member 2 3 (see Fig. 4r). As a consequence, itbecomes necessary to mount such seat frame (and the superstructurecarried thereby) slightly out from the wall since the arc A described bythe end of the seat would otherwise interfere therewith. In practice, ithas been necessary to allow only a fraction of an inch clear ance whichis of little consequence. On the other hand, if it is deemed importantthat the end of the seat fit snugly against the wall, then the form ofrack employed may be modified as shown in Fig. 8, a curved rack 39 beingemployed with guide slot 58 likewise curved to conform thereto. It willbe obvious that as gear 34 now travels along such rack, the rotatingseat frame will be shifted slightly toward the aisle sufficiently toprevent interference with the wall.

The center of the gear, or segment, is on the center line dividing theseat from front to rear but displaced from the center line of the seatfrom wall to aisle. The closer the center of such gear is to such lattercenter line, the more pronounced must be the curve of the rack if theend of the seat is to fit close against the wall. Since such rack is onthe aisle side of the front to rear center line of the seat the pivotalaction of the seat at any point therealong describes a more shallow arcthan if such seat were pivoted on its own true center.

It will be seen from the foregoing, that the gear-wheel rolls smoothlyalong the rack as the seat turns, like a wheel along a track-way.

The actual weight of the seat is carried directly by the frame of thesupport and not by plate E9. The means for controlling the movement ofthe rotating seat is thus not subjected to any'undue strain. While suchseat will ordinarily be of general rectangular form, the invention is ofccurseadaptable to a varietyof sizes and shapes of seats which are to bemounted for rotation into selected positions.

I have thus provided a reversible seat adapted to be rotated in ahorizontal plane about a travelling vertical axis. The completeoperation is performed with a continuous smooth, rolling action withoutthe employment of any individual movingparts, the seat turning as aunit. There is accordingly nothing to get out of order and a long,trouble-free life is assured.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed,change being made as regards the details described, provided thefeatures stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of suchbe employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a rotatable seat structure, a support unit, a seat unit mountedthereon for rotation relative thereto in a horizontal plane, a rack onone of said units disposed from front to rear to said seat in its normalposition, and a horizontally mounted gear rigidly fixed to the other ofsaid units and adapted to roll along said rack as said seat is rotated,the center of said gear being positioned on the front-to-rear centerline of said seat and adjacent one edge thereof, and said gear beingdimensioned so that when said seat has been thus rotated 180 said gearwill have travelled along said rack a distance substantially equal tothe width of said seat support from front to rear.

2. In a rotatable seat structure, a support member, a seat membermounted thereon for rotation relative thereto in a horizontal plane, astraight rack on said support member laterally offset from and parallelto the front-to-rear center line of said seat member, a horizontallymounted gear segment rigidly fixed to said seat member on thefront-to-rear center line of the same and adapted to roll along saidrack as said seat member rotates, and guide means adapted to maintainsaid gear segment in close meshing engagement with said rack, the pointof engagement of said rack and gear segment in starting position beingadjacent the front side of said seat member, and the center of said gearsegment likewise lying equally near the front side of said seat memberin starting position, so that upon rotation 180 said seat member willoccupy the same area over said support with the point of engagement ofsaid rack and segment now adjacent the other side of said support.

3. In a rotatable seat structure having a support member, and a seatmember mounted thereon for rotation relative thereto in a horizontalplane, a straight rack on said support member laterally offset from andparallel to the front-torear center line of said seat member, ahorizontally mounted gear rigidly fixed to said seat member on thefront-to-rear center line of the same and adapted to roll 180 along saidrack as said seat member rotates, and guide means adapted to maintainsaid gear in close meshing engagement with said rack at all times, thepoint of engagement of said gear and rack at starting position beingadjacent one of the front and rear sides of said seat member andlaterally offset from the front-to-rear center line of said seat member,and the center of said gear lying equally near the same side of saidseat member as such point of engagement of rack and gear, so that uponrotation said seat member will occupy the same area over said support.

4. In a rotatable seat structure, a support member, a seat membermounted thereon for rotation relative thereto in a horizontal plane, arack on said support member disposed from front to rear of said seatmember when the latter is in normal position and laterally offset fromthe front-to-rear center line thereof, a horizontally mounted gearrigidly fixed to said seat member on the front-to-rear center line ofthe latter adapted to roll along said rack as said seat member rotates,and guide means adapted to maintain said gear in close engagement withsaid rack, the center of said gear lying close to the front side of saidseat member, the point of engagement of said gear and rack in startingposition being offset from the front-to-rear and side-to-side centerlines of said seat member and substantially an equal distance from suchfront side of said seat member, and said gear and rack being sodimensioned that when said seat member has been thus rotated 180 it willoccupy the same area over said support.

5. In a rotatable seat structure, a support member, a seat membermounted thereon for rotation relative thereto in a horizontal plane, arack on one of said members disposed from front to rear of said seatmember when the latter is in normal position and laterally offset fromthe front-torear center line thereof, a horizontally mounted gearsegment rigidly fixed to the other of said members and adapted to rollalong said rack as said seat rotates, and guide means adapted tomaintain said gear segment in close engagement with said rack, thecenter of said gear segment lying on the frontto-rear center line ofsaid seat member and in starting position lying close to one of thefront and rear sides of said seat member with the cut-away side of saidgear segment toward the same side of said seat member, the point ofengagement of said gear segment and rack in starting position beingoffset from the front-to-rear and side-to-side center lines of said seatmember and substantially an equal distance from such same side of saidseat member, and said gear segment and rack being so dimensioned thatwhen said seat member has been thus rotated 1|80 it will occupy the samearea over said support.

ARTHUR W. BARTI-IOLOMEW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,290,464 Buckheit July 21, 19422,301,279 Hill Nov. 10, 1942

